Winter Leagues: Almonte, Marte lead Aguilas in thriller

Aided by three hits from each, Dominican club scores two in 10th to beat Gigantes

By Doug Miller / MLB.com

Dominican Winter League

Aguilas 13, Gigantes 11
Aguilas squandered a huge lead but scored five runs in the final three innings to rally for a wild win over Gigantes in 10. Andy Marte had three hits, including a homer, and four RBIs, and Yankees outfielder Zoilo Almonte added three hits and an RBI. Colorado catcher Wilin Rosario also homered for Aguilas. Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna and big leaguer Wilson Betemit homered for Gigantes. Box score

Escogido 4, Licey 0
Escogido got six scoreless innings with five strikeouts from starter Jarrett Grube and coasted to a win over its Santo Domingo-based rival. Pirates No. 2 prospect Gregory Polanco went 1-for-4 and scored a run for Escogido. Rangers infielder Jurickson Profar went 1-for-3 with a walk for Licey. Box score

Estrellas 3, Toros 0
Estrellas starter Evan MacLane shut down the Toros in six scoreless innings and watched as teammate Elian Herrera of the Dodgers drove in a run and Alex Valdez drove in two more with a two-run homer. Box score

Venezuelan Winter League

La Guaira 5, Zulia 4
La Guaira scored all five of its runs in the seventh inning to outlast Zulia. The big hit came courtesy of the Rangers' No. 2 prospect, Luis Sardinas, who drove in three runs with a pinch-hit double. Royals catcher Salvador Perez, playing first base, went 2-for-4 and scored a run. Box score

Caracas 9, Lara 8
Caracas held off a furious rally from Lara, which scored four times in the last three innings to make it close. Eric Thames, Indians prospect Jesus Aguilar and J.D. Martinez all homered for Caracas, with Martinez driving in three runs. Bobby Abreu went 1-for-4 for Caracas. Shortstop Gabriel Noriega hit a three-run homer off former big leaguer Ugueth Urbina for Lara. Box score

Margarita 3, Magallanes 2
Margarita was trailing by a run heading into the bottom of the ninth but rallied for a pair and walked off as winners on Caleb Joseph's two-out RBI single. Giants prospect Adam Duvall had a pair of hits for Margarita, as did Antoan Richardson. Magallanes starter Anthony Lerew went seven strong innings, giving up a run on three hits and striking out eight. Box score

Aragua 7, Caribes 2
Catcher Guillermo Quiroz hit a first-inning grand slam off Chris Smith and Aragua cruised from there. Alex Romero had two doubles and Twins outfielder Oswaldo Arcia scored three times and homered for Aragua. Niuman Romero had two hits for Caribes. Box score

Mexican Pacific League

Navojoa 1, Los Mochis 0
Eddie Gamboa (eight scoreless innings) and Jose Manuel Lopez (a shutout ninth) combined on a four-hitter and Yurendell de Caster's RBI single held up as Navojoa improved to 15-16 for the season. Box score

Mexicali 5, Mazatlan 1
Mexicali roughed up former Major Leaguer Horacio Ramirez and got home runs from former big leaguer Russell Branyan and Ricky Alvarez in the victory. Box score

Hermosillo 4, Obregon 3
Hermosillo (21-10) got a walk-off single from Luis Borges in the bottom of the 10th inning, capping a tense game in which Hermosillo had blown a two-run lead. Box score

Guasave 1, Culiacan 0 (seven innings), Game 2
Guasave returned the favor in the nightcap, breaking a scoreless tie on a Leonardo Heras RBI single in the sixth inning. Marco Tovar pitched six scoreless frames for the win. Box score

Puerto Rican Liga de Beisbol Roberto Clemente

Mayaguez 5, Caguas 3
Caguas jumped out to an early three-run lead, but Mayaguez chipped away and won it with four runs in the eighth inning. Chris Curley drove in two runs and Rene Rivera and Luis Figueroa had an RBI apiece. Box score

Carolina 4, Ponce 3
Ponce scored in the top of the ninth inning to tie it and Carolina answered back with a bizarre walk-off win in the bottom of the frame. Two straight wild pitches by Ponce reliever Ryan Fraser allowed Steven Negron to take third and then score the game-winning run. Box score

Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @DougMillerMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.